dankev

Do you folks have a favorite handlebar tape that holds up well to the abuse of getting knocked around at the bike rack, leaning up against concrete walls, etc? I usually buy the cheapest generic thing, but I'm willing to try something better.

mattgmann

I don't know about durable, but I've been using this stuff, https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3Pcs-...724759760.html

Takes a while to ship from china, but it's super cheap. I just replace it when necessary. I'm sure if I splurge for good tape, I may not go back to the cheap stuff, but wrapping handlebars only take a few minutes of my time, and this stuff has been doing well enough for me.

chucky

Cloth hockey stick tape that hockey players put on their blades.

dramiscram

I use something similar and it's quite resistant. It's been at least 6000 km since I installed it on my handle bar and it still look great.

PennyTheDog

I use Fizik perforated microtex tape. I really like it. It doesn't have its own padding, but it's sort of a synthetic leather. It's super strong, and I think it looks really nice.

modernjess

Shellac and plain cork tape FTW. (I prefer cork to cloth tape)

Just use any brand plain cork tape and about 10 coats of shellac (it's really cheap) . When it get scratched up you simply apply and other couple coats of shellac and it's like new again and it lasts a long time.

BTW this is totally fred and for a daily commuter bike it is everything it's cracked up to be.

Bike Gremlin

Fiz:k. Hands down.

RubeRad

Haven't tried this yet, but durable and free!


(I'm not sure if you have to wear a silly wig to get it on right)

RubeRad

Isn't plain "cork" tape really "closed cell foam"? Does the shellac soak in at all? Harden? I'd like to see some pics of how this looks on your fred commuter

dankev

That video is amazing. I'm going to give this a try, if only because the video is so good.

RGNY

i've been abusing the Lizardskins tape for about two years now with no problems.

some sneer at the cost, but it's still my favorite.

catonec 

fizik dual

GodsBassist

Agreed. And it keeps it's color. I have bright yellow on one of my bikes and the color hasn't faded at ALL even though it's a few years old and starting to wear in one spot.

DetroitSchwinn

[QUOTE=modernjess;15735161]Shellac and plain cork tape FTW. (I prefer cork to cloth tape)

+1 on shellacking ANYTHING (maybe not the inner tube!)... I have shellacked cloth tape -AND- leather (that looked like zombie flesh) and it has a crazy durable finish, and looks AMAZING... I understand shellacking cork will produce the same candied leather finish. I've used both premixed and flake + alcohol (takes a while to dissolve 10-24 hours), both work fine. I secure with twine and I used 3 coats of shellac, I applied with a CHEAP foam brush, one thick coat allowed to dry for 60-90 minutes and two thinner coats 30-45 minutes apart...

fietsbob

Using old Innertubes is the real base line.. Free/cheap and its butyl rubber , so fine..stuff , if the esoterics is not primary..


I put an Order in for a Fizik Tape and gel pad kit , to replace the quite old stuff that is on the road bike .

because I hang the bike up when Im Not riding it. or lock it to the bike-rack, , the tape stays OK.

Cyril 

Leather bar tape

DetroitSchwinn

I had some really nice Adarga leather bar tape that turned into zombie flesh in a matter of months... Although shellac brought it back to life and waterproofed it!

ill.clyde

Specialized Bar Phat

fietsbob

NB: Kickstands cut down on the necessity, to lean the bike against stuff that cuts into bar tape..

dscheidt

Depends on the tape, some is foamy, some is rubbery. I like this stuff:
https://www.universalcycles.com/shopp...ls.php?id=5055
which is cork and rubber, not foam. The stuff on my beater is two years old, including two winters, and is just now failing. (It's shellaced and finished with twine, of course, because that works.) I've got some not as nice stuff on my commuter, which has lasted over a year, but it's getting beat up. (I don't know what brand it is, it's from a local store.)

modernjess

Cinelli cork and shellac has lasted me for years, looks like leather and doesn't move or degrade. I just reapply a coat of shellac when it starts to wear down usually once a year. A crash is the only thing that will take this stuff off.

I know others have mentioned leather, and I really like the look and the feel of it, but it's stupid expensive, doesn't like water, and if you crash and wreck it it's replacement cost is just a non starter for me.

robert schlatte

Salsa gel cork tape

xtrajack

I love the vintage 4 piece rubber/vinyl perforated tubes. I believe that they were manufactured/distributed by a company named Dorcy, back in the late seventies-early eighties.

I had them on my touring bike back in the day, four years later they looked as good as the day I put them on that bike.

When I built up my Xtracycle, I managed to find a set. They have been on my X now for five years. They are still just as comfortable and look as good as the the day I installed them.

I have actually bought bikes just to get those handlebar tubes. They used to be fairly common on the department store bikes.

Andy_K 

Bar tape isn't a place I'd make compromises to go cheap. Fortunately, it is a place you can go cheap without a lot of compromise. I'd be willing to replace my bar tape twice a year if I had to so long as it was comfortable. As it turns out, I haven't had to.

I like fairly squishy bar tape. I usually use Easton Velo Bar Tape because it's cheap and readily available locally. It's been pretty durable for me. I do more unwrapping and rewrapping than most people (I like to change things), but I also do less scraping on walls and what not. I haven't had any problems. It generally lasts until I get bulges and gaps around the brake levers from having messed something up when rewrapping, and even then I could still use it if I wanted to.